


Sounds of the Revolution

by caprinaen



Series: fire in your eyes, fire in your heart [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/F, Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood Spoilers, Lyse-centric mostly, Memories, Zine: Musica Universalis: A Music-Themed Final Fantasy XIV Fanzine, contains art
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 02:54:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29727237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caprinaen/pseuds/caprinaen
Summary: The revolution began in silence.(Or: For Lyse, the will to fight for Ala Mhigo is in her blood.)Originally published in the Musica Universalis fanzine.Contains art byFaerieko
Relationships: Lyse Hext/Warrior of Light
Series: fire in your eyes, fire in your heart [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1842616
Kudos: 6





	Sounds of the Revolution

The first sound of the revolution began in silence.

It rumbled in the distance, too uniform to be thunder, too rhythmic to be a beast’s roar. “Yda”, as she was called, listened to the approaching fanfare with obvious confusion on her face—or what was visible of it, since half was hidden behind her mask.

“You hear it too?” said her companion, a Miqo’te with amber eyes. “Was wondering when those Hyur ears of yours would pick up on it.”

“What is it?” Yda asked, peeking around the tree trunks. Whatever the source of the cacophony, it was too far into the rough Gyr Abanian woodlands that fringed the Black Shroud to be seen.

Nonetheless, M’naago dragged her along a rocky ledge, climbing up until they were hidden in dense berry bushes.

“What do you think?” M’naago replied, sour.

She offered up no other explanation, so Yda decided to wait, sitting cross-legged and ignoring the leaves tickling her skin. Their current vantage point offered them an uninterrupted view of the road. Before long, _they_ came marching into view.

The Garleans. Of course.

The marching procession of Magitek armor and soldiers and conscripted Ala Mhigans—their spirits in chains—continued along the path. Yda worried maybe they were on their way to the Reach. In the center of that ensemble was a brass band, of all things, loudly playing something that tickled at the very back of Yda’s memory…

Her eyes widened.

_“From distant shores of Othard,_

_to Lakes of Aldenard,_

_The light of mighty Garlemald,_

_for'er our guiding star!”_

The unified singing echoed in her head.

_“Beneath the lofty heavens,_

_with tired hands we toil,_

_In iron do we clad our hearts,_

_and cloudless are our souls!”_

It was the national anthem…sort of. Yda remembered it—distantly—her sister used to—

One of the drummers tripped; a male Miqo’te whose ears had been lowered the entire time he’d been walking. The Garlean beside him snarled something, slamming the side of his head with the flat of his blade as the Miqo’te struggled to rise. Judging by the shaking shoulders of the nearby soldiers, they found this amusing.

Yda could imagine what they were saying. _Pathetic, uncultured savage._ Judging by M’naago’s expression, _she_ could hear them just fine. The parade continued, combining intimidation with a mockery of national pride, and M’naago only spoke once their words faded to a distant rumble once more.

“There you have it.”

“Where are they going? What’s it for?” Yda asked, turning to her.

M’naago sighed, shaking her head. “Probably to Castrum Oriens. Every now and then they have one of those…use it as part of their ‘recruitment’ of youths from the villages. That—” she turned to look in the direction the demonstration had gone, “—and they know damn well the Resistance is somewhere out here.”

It was Yda’s turn not to say anything. She kept replaying it in her mind. That…That _corruption_ of Ala Mhigo’s proud anthem. The misery in the slumped shoulders of the “recruited” Ala Mhigans. That Miqo’te, ridiculed for an act as simple as tripping while trying to play music during a forest march with war machines right at his heels.

Her fists clenched.

“Let’s finish scouting and get back to Rhalgr’s,” Yda said, and M’naago’s tail flicked in response, a strange satisfaction in her eyes.

~***~

That night, she dreamed.

No mask here. No name, taken up in blood and burden. Just a small family, just a girl—Lyse—and her sister, and her father.

Yda, cooking soup on the stove top. Gyr Abania had such cold winters but in Lyse’s memories, there was always a warm glow. Hearth and home were wonderful wards against the frost.

 _“What do you think?”_ Yda asked and Lyse felt that familiar ache at the sound of her voice.

She only ever heard it so clearly in her sleep.

 _“Needs more salt!”_ Lyse replied after tasting it, perched on tiptoe. The dream was lit in a glow soft as autumn’s light.

Yda complied…and then she picked Lyse up suddenly, spinning her around and laughing as Lyse squealed in delighted surprise. She sat down next to the fireplace, holding Lyse on her lap, nuzzling into her.

Thunder rumbled overhead, causing Lyse to look up.

 _“There’s no need to worry,”_ Yda assured her, fingers brushing through her hair. _“It’s just Rhalgr. Smiting the wicked and all that.”_

_“From all the way up there?”_

_“Right. Don’t you know the song, Lyse?”_ Yda sang it softly as she worked out some knots in Lyse’s long, blonde locks. _“Though storms of blood approach ye, Hells open, Heavens weep; no goodly soul need ever fear the measure of His reach.”_

 _“Ohhh.”_ To a child, such words rang with undeniable power. The idea of some heavenly guardian, the Destroyer, who was able to rain bolts of destruction down upon those who scorned their fellow man…frightening to some, but not to Lyse. _“Why doesn’t Rhalgr just strike all the bad people then?”_

Yda continued to hum the anthem as she mulled over how to reply. _“Well, sometimes He instills His power into someone else instead.”_ She tapped Lyse’s heart. _“So, whenever you feel like you just_ have _to help someone—”_

_“That’s Him?”_

Yda laughed. Quiet. _“Right,”_ she said again, kissing her cheek. _“But that’s the sort of thing to worry about when you’re older. For now, Rhalgr just wants you to eat and rest and grow up strong, all right?”_

Thunder shuddered with enough force to stir “Yda” from her slumber. She sat up, groggy, listening to the rain as it howled outside.

“Well. That explains _that_ dream,” she said to herself, blowing a sigh.

Thunder. The herald of Rhalgr’s fury.

Yda went to the window, pushing open the carved wooden circle. Rhalgr’s Reach sprawled out before her. Half lost from sight beneath the sweeping sheets of rain, the lake danced with droplets, swelling, threatening a flood if it didn’t let up soon. She and Papalymo had each been offered a room in the maze of tunnels cut into the stone walls of the valley which housed most of the Resistance. Legend had it that ancient monks had punched it all into place centuries ago.

The rain hit her exposed face. She closed her eyes and let herself be Lyse again. For the moment.

“Rhalgr,” she whispered, her voice lost in the gale. “Give me strength.”

The heavens trembled.

~***~

The Scions of the Seventh Dawn were known to work miracles.

It was difficult to believe that it was really over--that the flag soaring from the parapets of the Ala Mhigan Royal Palace were really there. A white griffin, resplendent and proud despite the scars of war.

That was an accurate summation of this place, its people...At least, Lyse thought so.

Elodie sat beside her, plucking at the strings of her harp. Lyse leaned back on her palms with a loud sigh.

"I still can't believe we did it..."

Elodie wasn't playing anything in particular. Rather, she wasn't worried. She just went along with the melody and played whatever felt right. She played a few more notes, looking over at the now proud flying flags hung up all around the walls of Ala Mhigo, and showed a gentle smile.

"Me neither...it feels like a dream almost--and we did so much to get here? I almost lost track of time!"

"Not that that's especially new for you," Lyse taunted gently, smiling over at her. After a few moments, her gaze returned to the flags as Elodie absently strung a few chords from the Ala Mhigan anthem. "I'm starting to think the Empire needs to fear the measure of _your_ reach."

"...Huh? Why me? Aren't you the leader of the Resistance here?"

Lyse laughed, elbowing her back. "Right, right, but I distinctly recall a certain someone doing battle with a raging dragon primal...not to mention your previous routing of the Garleans in Doma."

"All in a day’s work...for the Warrior of Light?" She smiled in a goofy way. Being the Warrior of Light...what a title. "Okay, but? The Garleans deserved it? It felt so good to beat down one! Now I'm starting to get your whole punch first and ask questions later!"

"You were always sort of like that anyway. I'll leave the heavy thinking to wiser minds, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that...so long as you know what you're fighting for." Lyse drummed her fingers along her knee, leaning against Elodie.

"...You know, Yda told me once that Rhalgr would sometimes bless mortals to carry out His retribution. It's the sort of bedtime story any Ala Mhigan child would know...Heroes chosen by one of the Twelve, to fight against tyranny. Sometimes I wonder if that's not you?"

"That's true...I mean, to all of what you said there. I guess that's why we get along, right?" Elodie giggled and as soon as Lyse leaned against her, she did the same as her plucking got lazier. Her eyes looked out at something far away that Lyse could only fathom.

"Me...?" She hummed. "Why can't that go to you and I can be the Warrior of Light? You're not giving yourself much credit either…especially for someone who suddenly had all of this thrown at them."

Lyse chuckled softly. "Me? I won't lie and say I haven't done anything, but it doesn't feel like...like 'faerie tale heroine' sort of achievements."

"Well...it is to me." Elodie placed her harp off to the side for a moment, hugging Lyse closer.

"You came from a family of heroes, but you weren't sure if it was something you could live up to...so you settled for doing anything you could even if it brought only small change, right? Even behind your sister's mask, but now...you're _you_ , and _you_ just helped lead a change that was overdue for so, so long…Maybe you didn't feel like a leader at first, but I think you're really starting to fit the role. These are the kind of rising hero stories bards sing about! I would know." Elodie leaned over for a moment to kiss her cheek. "I'm proud to say I know Lyse Hext and that I love her with everything I have."

Lyse couldn't help but grow flustered by such warm praise and an even warmer gaze. She hadn't been fishing for compliments, but she knew Elodie well enough by now to know that the Warrior of Light was simply speaking from her heart. Perhaps that was why Lyse's was beating so fast.

"Gods, Elodie, I didn’t expect such an enthusiastic reply..." Lyse wrapped an arm around her, nuzzling between her ears. "You're going to make me blush...if I'm not already."

Elodie giggled.

Closing her eyes for a few moments, Lyse sighed. "I don't think there's a limit, you know. To what we can do together. How far we can reach...how high we'll climb...the distance we'll go. If you're with me, I feel like anything's possible. Maybe Rhalgr blessed me with _you_ ," she said, soft.

Elodie flicked her ears after the initial surprise to tickle Lyse's cheeks. Lyse had the distinct feeling it was on purpose. Elodie somehow pulled her even closer, if such a thing were possible.

"I think when I was really getting to know you—the real you—I started to believe the same? We're just an unstoppable force. And maybe...Rhalgr knew that and that's why He brought us together." She nuzzled Lyse's neck and gave a loud purr.

Nothing lit the fire in her eyes, the fire in her heart, quite like Elodie. Lyse kissed her cheek. "Inseparable as thunder and lightning..."

Elodie held Lyse's face and gave her a small kiss. She even whispered something against her lips. "Inseparable as thunder and lightning...completing one another like the sun and moon."

"How poetic. Though I suppose that’s to be expected from a bard," Lyse teased, kissing her back.

****

**Author's Note:**

> this was my piece for the Musica Universalis charity fanzine! if you own a copy it's the first story in the collection, and it's also the first thing i've ever had published in a zine, so i'm very proud of it. the picture is done by my amazing friend and it features her WoL, also in the zine.  
> elodie faeliah belongs to AO3 user faerieheart/Faerieko on Twitter, the artist, who can be found [here.](https://twitter.com/faerieko)


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